Under a proposed ordinance, a Buffalo Grove landlord who leased space to a massage business, which lost its license because of a prostitution arrest, would not be allowed to lease the space to another massage businesses for another two years.

Under a proposed ordinance, a Buffalo Grove landlord who leased space to a massage business, which lost its license because of a prostitution arrest, would not be allowed to lease the space to another massage businesses for another two years. (Pioneer Press file / Pioneer Press)

As Buffalo Grove officials look to discourage prostitution at local businesses, property owners who lease commercial space to questionable massage parlors soon could face new restrictions.

Under a proposed ordinance being considered by village board members, a Buffalo Grove landlord who leased space to a massage business, which lost its license because of a prostitution arrest, would not be allowed to lease the space to another massage businesses for two years.

Some trustees have raised concerns about the proposal while other officials have said that some kind of ordinance is needed to discourage prostitution at local businesses.

"One of the things we want to make certain is that no prostitution is happening," said Bill Raysa, attorney for Buffalo Grove.

Buffalo Grove officials started looking into the ordinance after two women were charged in April 2016 with operating a massage therapy business without a license, village officials said.

Morton Grove is beefing up the way it regulates massage therapy establishments including fingerprinting and photographing applicants, and collecting an annual application fee — among other changes.

Village board members voted unanimously at their Dec. 12 meeting to adopt the new regulations which...

Morton Grove is beefing up the way it regulates massage therapy establishments including fingerprinting and photographing applicants, and collecting an annual application fee — among other changes.

Village board members voted unanimously at their Dec. 12 meeting to adopt the new regulations which...

(Brian L. Cox)

One of the women also was charged with prostitution, said Meghan Hansen, outreach officer at the Buffalo Grove Police Department.

During a board discussion on the proposal Feb. 6, some trustees said a two-year prohibition would punish the property owner for a violation committed by a tenant and also could leave storefronts empty for an extended period.

Raysa noted how Chicago, Mount Prospect and Park Ridge already have similar ordinances on the books. He said he knew of no legal challenges to the ordinances in those three towns.

But trustee Jeff Berman during the Feb. 6 meeting urged his fellow board members to ignore past actions from outside communities and consider the business ramifications the proposed ordinances could bring to Buffalo Grove landlords.

"If Chicago jumped off a cliff, would you follow them?" Berman asked. "I feel like I'm talking to my kids."

Berman said the proposed ordinance could make it difficult for landlords to find a different type of business to replace a massage parlor.

Massage businesses often require additional plumbing, lighting and other amenities, making it costly to renovate and challenging to lease to a different type of business, he said.

But Village Manager Dane Bragg said the proposed ordinance would guard against massage parlors promoting prostitution that seemingly operate by a different name but involve the same ownership.

Often times, when a massage business loses its license, the same ownership will open up a similar business under a different license and look to occupy the business space again, he said.

A few of the owners of shopping centers with massage businesses in Buffalo Grove declined to comment about the proposed ordinance.

Tim Donohue, vice president of CTK Chicago Partners, which manages Town Center, a Buffalo Grove shopping center that doesn't include any massage businesses, said the proposal likely would force landlords to do more research upfront before leasing space to a particular tenant.

But the two-year restriction could come with consequences, especially when a reputable massage business is looking to open in Buffalo Grove, he said.

"There are corporate-owned, high-end massage and spa places that sometimes get caught up in the way these things are done," Donohue said. "I'd hate to think that they'd get caught up in something like this."

Village board members could vote on a final proposed ordinance as early as March, officials said.